A Day Trip to Kamakura - Great Buddha

One of the must visits when in Kamakura is the bronze statue of Great Buddha in the temple of Kotokuin. The statue is standing in an open air as the temple buildings surrounding it were destroyed by typhoons and tsunami in the 14th and 15th century. It is walking distance from Hase station. There are lots of stores before reaching the temple grounds. It is a nice walk as you pass by  ice cream stores, eateries, souvenir shops. Just follow the crowd and the poster of Daibutsu and you will reach the temple.

How to get to Great Buddha

from Kamakura station, take Enoshima Electric Railway (Enoden for short) bound for Fujisawa;  3 stops to Hase Station; temple is 10 minute walk from Hase station

 


Entrance fee: Y200 / adult

Before going to Kotokuin you can visit Hasedera Temple; you may click the link for some information
Hasedera temple

Day Trip to Kamakura - Hasedera Temple

Kamakura is outside Tokyo and can be reached in about 1.5 hours by train.

Located in the coastal town of Kanagawa Prefecture, Kamakura has become a tourist destination. It offers several sights such as  temples, shrines and sand beaches.

The most visited places are  Hasedera Temple, Great Buddha, Hachimangu Shrine, Komachi Street.

Hasedera Temple is 5 minute walk from Hase Station. The temple gound is wide and has lots of trees, sakura, small bamboo garden and a viewing deck overlooking Kamakura beach.

It has a small food store which sells dango ( sweet sticky rice balls) and dumpling.

Spend an hour in this relaxing garden temple.

How to get to Hasedera Temple

take Yamanote line towards Ueno and stop at Shimbashi sta; transfer to Yokosuka line (JO) towards Kurihama , 11 stops to Kamakura Station then  take Enoshima Electric Railway (Enoden for short) bound for Fujisawa;  3 stops to Hase Station; temple is 10 minute walk from Hase station

Entrance: Y300 / adult 

After Hasedera, you can go to Great Buddha; link Great Buddha

Kyoto Tour - Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion is a zen Buddhist temple located in northern Kyoto. It is an impressive temple built overlooking a large pond. The structure creates a magnificent reflection on the water.

 The pond contains large rocks symbolizing small islands. The top two floors of the temple are covered with gold leaf.

Also in the area, there is a paved walking path leading through the gardens. The garden complex has lots of trees and pretty landscapes.

At the exit are souvenir shops, a small tea garden and Fudo Hall.

It is a must see attraction when in Kyoto. The place gets crammed with bus load of tourists from mid morning onwards. To enjoy the amazing sight of the pavilion and garden complex, visit the place early morning before the crowd gets huge or late afternoon wen throngs of tourists have left.

Entrance fee: Y400 for adults , Y300 for children
Open 9am - 4pm

How to get to Kinkakuji
From Kyoto Station, cross the street towards Family Mart where the bus stop is located. Take a direct Kyoto City bus #101 or 205 for 40 minutes. Fare is Y230. If you will take the bus more than 2x, getting a 1 day Kyoto City Bus pass is economical.

Other Osaka & Kyoto Attractions:
Arashimaya Bamboo Forest
Osaka Castle - Symbol of Osaka
Fushimi Inari Shrine